Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-10
YOUNG ABsorrs $1,000 MEAL.
The Government Will Not Restore
the Bond he Ate up.

From the ChicI0o Ttibuns.
The case of Joseph Abbott, the Chioa-
goan, who swallowed a $1,000 bond and
made application to the government tor
the issue or duplicate, presents some in
teresting features aside from the details
given in the Washington dispatches. 1t
is matter Of history that men have
swallowed articles of great value in order
tn save them, but diamonds and state
dispatches we're usually the materials of
the repasts In question. 1t Is alec told
that an old farmer, upon visit to the city,
put his "wad" of greenbacks in his to-
bacco box for safe keeping, and in fit OF
abstraction masticated q goodly roll of
currency, remarking at the time that 1t
was ''pEetty darn poor tobacker." A few
years ago cash boy in Gossage's dry
goods store laid hands on $40 bill, and to
avoid detection chewed and swallowed it,.
de afterwards confessed, and as tho I'M
usual diet made him pretty sick the firm
let him off without further punishme Mt.
Young bloods about town have been
known to light cigar with s. bill:
but 1000 meal likeAbbotts Is not at
all in the ordinary run.
Moses j. Wentworth is Abbotts attor-
ney. and the story he tells 10 that Abbott is
about % years of age, and up to Aug. 26,
1883. was The courtroom boy at the Cliff
ton House. He had been In the employ
OF the house for twelve years, and had
saved every cent of his wages until he had
laid by 1900. This amount he had in
vested in United States bonds, and he
kept them secreted In the courtroom OF the
hotel, where he worked days and slept
nights. The boy made his savings the
one idea of his life, and gradually worked
himself into state oil mind bordering on
insanity, so great was his fear of being
robbed. In fact, for some time before the
date i'll question, his employers noticed
that he was somewhat "Off," but as he
attended faithfully to his duties but little
attention was paid to his behavior. About
midnight somebody wanted to get into the
courtroom and pounded on the door. Alb.
bolt was awakened suddenly from a
sound sleep, and supposlng that burglars
were after his treasures, went raving
crazy. He shrleked for help and made
great noise, but would allow no one to
enter the room. 1t became necessary to
call the police, and Abbott was carried
off violently insane. He was tried, pro-
nounced insane, and taken to the kanka-
kee asylum. After ten months be was
pronounced cured and discharged. He
came TO Chicago, and the 5000 in bonds
which had been found in the courtroom
were restored to him. He then told Mr..
Woodcock, the proprietor, that be had
swallowed a 81, 600 bond the night In ques-
ton in his paroxysm of fear, and showed
him tally on the wall where
he kept record of his bonds.
Other cOTroborattye evidence con-
WINGED Mr.. Woodcock that the
boys story was true, and he had SO much
confidence In his honesty and truthfulness
that among the documents sent on to
Washington was an affidavit by Mr..
Woodcock declaring his belief In the
truth OF the statement, and offering to
sign an indemnity bond to the govern
ment. The government officials were
seemingly convinced of the entire truth
fulness of the story, but construed the
law 10 cover only accidental destruction
of bonds, whereas in this case the de-
struction was Intentional.